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Freeskiing is a dying fad

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raull
Posts: 384 - Karma: 2,232
Ive been thinking this for a while now. freeskiing, freestyle skiing, newschool skiing, whatever you want to call it, has really lost the "cool," or the "core" i think it once had. A decade ago it was a new cool sport that people wanted to get involved in, but i see this trend fading. There are so many different genres within freeskiing now that its hard to unite all the skiers together. The numerous fads within skiing will start to disappear and i think it will result in a sort of dwindling out of the sport. I believe terrain parks will still exist and people will still ski pipe, but competitions will lose importance, movies will lose their glamour (already have) and people will become disinterested in general.

Freeskiing will continue, but it will be more of a weekend, not so serious, less sponsors-lets-just-have-fun type of thing...sort of like wakeboarding.

anybody else think this?    
Jun 12 2012 12:36AM
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GML
Posts: 224 - Karma: 192
dont say that
Jun 12 2012 12:42AM
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Flying~Squirrel
Posts: 6494 - Karma: 192
it just got put in the olympics
Jun 12 2012 12:43AM
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danbrown
Posts: 11939 - Karma: 21,826
just because you're not cool anymore doesn't mean im not still cool
Jun 12 2012 12:48AM
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ScrappyJoeYoung
Posts: 1407 - Karma: 1,277
nah nigggggga

Jun 12 2012 12:49AM
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_Jesus_
Posts: 2070 - Karma: 260
thats why NS has 180k+ members and continues to grow.
Jun 12 2012 12:50AM
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icyburr
Posts: 455 - Karma: 1,576
for days mang
Jun 12 2012 12:55AM
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.R-Lohin
Posts: 1686 - Karma: 117
OP must have taken a hot steaming shit on the keyboard and this is what the shit typed
Jun 12 2012 1:23AM
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reverendwrong
Posts: 3145 - Karma: 142
Pro Wakeboarders make more than pro skiers?
Jun 12 2012 1:42AM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,054
you're a dying fad
Jun 12 2012 1:46AM
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E__
Posts: 5751 - Karma: 4,635
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Jun 12 2012 2:02AM
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cwphoto
Posts: 2332 - Karma: 780
This
Jun 12 2012 2:02AM
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bighomieflock
Posts: 2040 - Karma: 2,445
Freeskiing will always be more popular than wake boarding. Wakeboarding can be really fun, but the things that you can do are limited by the fact that you are being towed by a boat. Skiers on the other hand have the option to ski rails, jumps, powder, cliffs, chutes, etc. Also, how have you seen freeskiing fading? Every time I'm in the park I see more and more skiers in general, along with many younger kids getting involved with the sport.
Jun 12 2012 2:15AM
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baethoven
Posts: 4953 - Karma: 332
This.


I really hope the OP is just trolling and doesn't seriously believe that shit..
Jun 12 2012 2:48AM
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rareison
Posts: 10263 - Karma: 219
shitty threads are a growing fad
Jun 12 2012 2:49AM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
Freeskiing's growth is declining, certainly, but that's due to the last 4 years of being fucking awesome and influencing people to join the cause.
Jun 12 2012 2:54AM
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hokkanee
Posts: 1800 - Karma: 435
Frankly I don't really care, although I seriously doubt that. I don't intend on stopping anytime soon
Jun 12 2012 2:56AM
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.skiwi.
Posts: 898 - Karma: 40
Im discovering people at my school quite often who are getting in to freeskiing, dont think so op, its growing.
Jun 12 2012 2:57AM
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baethoven
Posts: 4953 - Karma: 332
Can someone explain how exactly?
Jun 12 2012 2:58AM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
A lot of people who 'might have been interested' already joined. There's nothing wrong with this, it'll grow stronger, but the badassery rate that freeskiing has been going at over the past few years just isn't sustainble.
Jun 12 2012 3:20AM
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LIL-WAT
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 146
You are stupid..
Jun 12 2012 4:40AM
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C.L
Posts: 365 - Karma: 37
Give the OP some cred, he is not being negative, he is simply being rationally skeptical over a very young sport which the entire world hasn't heard of nor knows exists. The OP isn't the only one sharing these views, some extremely high up people in the ski industry also share the same perception.
Jun 12 2012 5:29AM
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Absailingisdope
Posts: 6 - Karma: 11
Resurgence of snowblading?
Jun 12 2012 5:35AM
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84891jnf92048
Posts: 11552 - Karma: 2,550
wrong
Jun 12 2012 6:05AM
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Caspaaa
Posts: 4830 - Karma: 1,466
your statement is COMPLETELY FALSE.

the progression may be slowing down, the growth, however, is doing better than ever. one of the mountains i ski at is called Bretton Woods up in NH. two seasons ago the park consisted of 3 flat boxes, a small stair feature, two small jumps (10-15 feet), and an up rail.... i would lap the park on and off all winter and it was a rare circumstance to find someone else who knew what they were doing skiing in the park with me. besides the occasional gaper, nobody else was there. nobody at BW even wore tall tees, saga, FD, LDC, any of the names i am familiar with now.

fast forward to this past season, kids rocking XLT FD suits and XL Saga are shredding the park, doing rodeos off the tiny jumps, and tearing up the hill.

two years ago i barely knew how incredible of a sport newschool skiing was, partly because i had never tried it, partly because i had never seen anybody else try it. now, it's IMPOSSIBLE to go to a mountain with a decent park and not bump into a bunch of NS'ers.... or just people who ski park in general.

EVERY YEAR more and more people are picking up the sport we know and love. its no surprise that the boundaries have been pushed to the maximum. there are countless amounts of kids shredding everyday that put out edits that would have blown me away two years ago. it seems like every other edit i watch could have been entered in and placed as a finalist in Level 1's super unknown last year or the year before. it's amazing how many kids have so much talent in skiing.
Jun 12 2012 6:25AM
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STEEZUS_CHRI5T
Posts: 2923 - Karma: 22,202
i agree
Jun 12 2012 7:24AM
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hablablaha
Posts: 201 - Karma: 15
I think you are right on point actually. Thing is, no one needs to worry.. Who cares if its a "fad"? if you love skiing for skiing it will never die.

But yea, it's been booming. And even though it seems as if its still at its peak, i think that it actually has started to decline. I think that the only tangible (not really) evidence of this is the change in mentality and atmosphere within the community. Its very commercial right now, and even though it sound like a cliche, this has taken a lot of the "soul" from skiing and turned it in to a "real sport". This affects the "coolnes" of the sport which attracted the masses in the first place, and the masses will then turn away because its been turned in to "just another generic extreme-sport" (like agressive-inlines back in the days).

And i don't think "newschool" skiing has the ability to become a new hockey, soccer or football etc. It won't get that rooted. When its time has come, it will "die"... But that doesn't need to stop anyone from doing it. It just wont be that big thing any more. And if that mathers to you, then you are one in the masses who is gonna "ruin it" for yourself anyway...

This is only how i perceive things btw.. in my mind, i feel like: "I've been in to the sport for a looong time and i can se the change bla bla bla".. But it might just be a skew perspective because many of the cool people i knew turned away from the game..
Jun 12 2012 8:39AM
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.ZT.
Posts: 5679 - Karma: 2,792
NOPE

Jun 12 2012 8:52AM
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Good_Deed
Posts: 1260 - Karma: 1,321
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Jun 12 2012 9:00AM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,184
you are completely wrong.

i don't know where you're getting you information but truth be told, skiing is growing while snowboarding is declining. when you talk about "freeskiing" losing it's "cool" or "core", what are you comparing it to? "freeskiing" itself would be defined as doing what you want, how you want and where you want. just because there's a park rat magazine called "freeskier" that unfortunately went into the shitter after transworld killed "freeze", doesn't mean that "freeskiing" only encompasses park riding.

freeskiing is everything that isn't organized. going out and hiking a backcountry booter with your friends is "freeskiing", doing a 3 day ski tour is "freeskiing" and even skiing the trees at your mountain could be considered "freeskiing".

"freeskiing" isn't dying. quite the contrary, it's growing and will continue to grow even if park skiing starts to decline
Jun 12 2012 10:02AM
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SSteezle
Posts: 9297 - Karma: 7,732
Don't agree at all. Maybe the progressions of freeskiing is slowing down, but the majority of freeskiers aren't on that playing field anyways. 5 years ago in ski club I was the only "freeskier" from my school, everyone else was either racers, gapers, or snowboarders. Now, over half have picked up twin tips
Jun 12 2012 10:25AM
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phissong
Posts: 60 - Karma: 20
Complete opposite. I've had 6 of my friends commit to freeskiing in the past year. These are 17-18 year olds too. The niumber of younger kids getting into the sport is deffinitely increasing at a faster rate. If anything it's growing
Jun 12 2012 10:42AM
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ECKeefe
Posts: 124 - Karma: 33
this is a joke I hope, Theres clearly been a giant uprising in newschooler skiing especially in the past ten years, look at level 1's journey through time video right before "refresh" and I think you will be amazed
Jun 12 2012 10:43AM
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060

alais I am still the only "freeskier" in my ski club

And also, in the next couple of years, I think we will see less in the progession of tricks, but the progession in the parks, ie more creative flowy parks, natural parks in the woods, and stuff like that. My .02

Jun 12 2012 10:43AM
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060
also more all mountian jibbing, and using natural features around the mountian
Jun 12 2012 10:49AM
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dlentz
Posts: 289 - Karma: 1,062
why would u post that, if freeskiing somehow wasnt cool or if it was the coolest thing ever, i would still be skiing regardless
Jun 12 2012 11:13AM
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snakerton
Posts: 2434 - Karma: 1,977

you probably shouldnt post that on a freestyle, freeski website

Jun 12 2012 11:27AM
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UFOsarereal
Posts: 2285 - Karma: 1,132
I hope you're right... that'd be fucking sick. skiing is way better when you aren't just going in a straight line from feature to feature...
Jun 12 2012 11:40AM
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Backyard.Skier
Posts: 5397 - Karma: 1,497
guess who's back?
Jun 12 2012 11:52AM
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TNORTS
Posts: 2076 - Karma: 2,754
Skiing is sick. Who gives a fuck.
Jun 12 2012 11:56AM
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Saga.
Posts: 3812 - Karma: 45,331
wake boarding is stupid and expensive (you need a boat) to do thats why its not as popular. I really dont see freeskiing dying out.
Jun 12 2012 12:16PM
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snakerton
Posts: 2434 - Karma: 1,977
this
Jun 12 2012 12:19PM
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*pbartram*
Posts: 260 - Karma: 1,403
This.

Skiing is far more affordable. Its not like there was a time when everyone had a boat and was wake boarding, it has always been a minor sport for the simple reason that it costs a shit load.
Jun 12 2012 12:20PM
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heFF
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 4,456
you're fucking high
Jun 12 2012 12:21PM
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snakerton
Posts: 2434 - Karma: 1,977
agreed
Jun 12 2012 12:23PM
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raull
Posts: 384 - Karma: 2,232
I was talking more about the general attitude regarding wakeboarding, as in its more of a relaxed hobby more than a big time serious sport with big events. i see skiing going more in this direction.
Jun 12 2012 12:33PM
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.peter
Posts: 1222 - Karma: 63
freeskiing is the most united action sport by far so no you're wrong
Jun 12 2012 12:35PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Shitty members are also a growing fad.
Jun 12 2012 12:37PM
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danderson.
Posts: 6560 - Karma: 5,252
Dude, shut the fuck up.
Jun 12 2012 12:47PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
I kinda agree that movies aren't the big thing they used to be.
Jun 12 2012 12:55PM
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
OP, and to a certain extent you, are talking out of their ass. Not a single shred of evidence to support your claims have been presented. I hate to break it to you, but just because you "have a feeling", it doesn't mean it's true.

My experience is that freeskiing is growing exponentially. I work in a snowpark, and every year i see more and more kids get into freeskiing. In most places in Europe, freeskiers now outnumber snowboarders. And it's not just kids messing around on a pair of twintips. Sure, they're there too, but there are also committed, stoked kids, shredding the park and BC every day, and progressing themselves and the sport. Now that is my subjective, empirical evidence.

However, large developments like the Olympics, bigger contests, larger amount of skiers living of freeskiing, more movies with a higher level, and an ever growing amount of highly specialized freeskiing brands doing quite well, also gives evidence to my claim, and the OP is moronic, and completely unsubstantiated.
Jun 12 2012 1:11PM
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